Can't see my Placemarks in the Plug-in

[Cwendell]

I used the Google Earth Plug-In gadget to try and embed my KML into my
blog. The Plug-In is appearing on my plug but my placemarks are not
showing up on the plug in.

I hosted my KML on Google Sites and then copied the html link and
pasted it into the Google Earth Plug in Gadget, and I retrieved the
code from the gadget and then pasted that into my blog.

Why are my layers not showing in my Plug-In?

[api.ss]

Hi Cwendell,

I'd need some code snippet from you to diagnose the problem.

-ss

[LemonPeeler]

 

Almost 3 years later and we are having the same problem, Cwendell.  We have embedded the gadget on our website, with the proper URL to our KMZ file stored in Google Docs and the placemarks never show on our website.  However, they DO show in Google Earth on our desktop computer.

[barryhunter (KML Guru)]

The answer from api.ss is still relevent. 

If you dont show the actual gadget - a link is ideal - then there is little can do to help you... 

[LemonPeeler]

Thank you for the reply, Barry.  I am very new to all this and not familiar with the necessary trouble-shooting procedures nor the coding.  Please find the problematic embed code listed below.  The code was generated by the Google gadget provided for embedding KMZ files in a Google map on a website.  Assumed it would be a simple process, but have not had much success.

 

The KMZ file is saved on and accessed from our Google Drive.  We copied the link using the Google Drive Share feature and supplied that link in the Google Gadget dialog when generating the embed code.  The only anomaly we observed is that the Google Drive link (copied from Google Drive) does not outright include the filename with the .KMZ extension.  Instead, it appears to be a Google shortcut to the file on Google Drive.  Could that be the problem?  The embedded gadget displays Google Earth fine and everything seems to function okay, except that our placemarkers are not shown.

 

If you don't mind, we also have a few other questions:

 

1. We are also wondering how we can set the default orientation of the globe when it is first viewed in the gadget from our website?
2. Where might there be instructions on creating your own custom icons or placemarkers?
3. Can custom placemarkers also be shown on a 2-D Google map of the world?

Thank you so much for your assistance,

 

Richard

 

 

******************

EMBED CODE

******************

<script src="//www.gmodules.com/ig/ifr?url=http://dl.google.com/developers/maps/embedkmlgadget.xml&amp;up_kml_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fopen%3Fid%3D0B7PjtxmkbPEDRmZKTDl3TDlzWUU&amp;up_view_mode=earth&amp;up_earth_2d_fallback=0&amp;up_earth_fly_from_space=1&amp;up_earth_show_nav_controls=1&amp;up_earth_show_buildings=1&amp;up_earth_show_terrain=1&amp;up_earth_show_roads=1&amp;up_earth_show_borders=1&amp;up_earth_sphere=earth&amp;up_maps_zoom_out=0&amp;up_maps_default_type=map&amp;synd=open&amp;w=500&amp;h=400&amp;title=Embedded+KML+Viewer&amp;border=%23ffffff%7C3px%2C1px+solid+%23999999&amp;output=js"></script>

*****************

[barryhunter (KML Guru)]

Ah yes, you don't have the correct URL. Need a URL to the actual file. Alas Google Docs/Drive doesnt make ti easy. 

Given your URL

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B7PjtxmkbPEDRmZKTDl3TDlzWUU

which will redirect to 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7PjtxmkbPEDRmZKTDl3TDlzWUU/edit 

for some people (it just did for me)

Whereas you need a url like

https://docs.google.com/uc?id=0B7PjtxmkbPEDRmZKTDl3TDlzWUU&export=download

(note the /uc at the start and export=download on the end)

The only way I know to build them is manually. But you can do quite easily for other files, as notice the long ID is the same in all version of URLS> 

> We are also wondering how we can set the default orientation of the globe when it is first viewed in the gadget from our website?

Can do this with the 'snapshot view' feature in Google Earth, when creating the KML in the firstplace. So use the snapshot view option on the top most element you saving. Then save it as a kml/kmz file. 

The plugin will honour that view. 

> Where might there be instructions on creating your own custom icons or placemarkers?

http://www.google.com/earth/outreach/tutorials/user_experience.html 

mentions this - also mentions snapshot view!

> Can custom placemarkers also be shown on a 2-D Google map of the world?

Yes. But have to be careful. Google Maps will usually resize icons to 32x32px. So best to start with icons already in those dimensions. 

[LemonPeeler]

Thanks a million, Barry, your reply resolved our main dilemma!

 

What I can't understand is that we followed the Google Help instructions (http://support.google.com/earth/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=173934&topic=2376989&ctx=topic and http://www.google.com/earth/outreach/tutorials/kmlembed.html#embedkml), to the letter, and nothing was ever mentioned regarding the modifications you suggested (which ultimately corrected the problem).  In fact, the help infers that embedding the KMZ is very simple, straight forward, and requires no programming skills!  So is everyone having this problem initially because of poor help subjects?

 

Thank you also for your information on the default orientation of the globe.  Unfortunately, that problem still persists.  Our placemark folder has a set view which properly loads when we double-click the folder in the Places pane in Google Earth on our own computer.  The first item in the folder also has a set view in the general vicinity that works on our computer.  Both views focus on the central United States initially.  However, when when this folder is saved as a KMZ file and embedded into our website, the initial view focuses on central Africa versus the United States.  It does not appear the either the folder view, or the view for the first item in the folder, are setting the default view.  Our KMZ file only contains one folder, saved using the 'Save Place As ...' option when right-clicking the folder with the mouse.  What might be corrupting our default view?

 

Here is the most recent embed code if that helps:

 

<script src="//www.gmodules.com/ig/ifr?url=http://dl.google.com/developers/maps/embedkmlgadget.xml&amp;up_kml_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fuc%3Fid%3D0B7PjtxmkbPEDY2NYSXk5cE1SdTQ%26export%3Ddownload&amp;up_view_mode=earth&amp;up_earth_2d_fallback=0&amp;up_earth_fly_from_space=1&amp;up_earth_show_nav_controls=1&amp;up_earth_show_buildings=1&amp;up_earth_show_terrain=1&amp;up_earth_show_roads=1&amp;up_earth_show_borders=1&amp;up_earth_sphere=earth&amp;up_maps_zoom_out=0&amp;up_maps_default_type=map&amp;synd=open&amp;w=550&amp;h=440&amp;title=Poulson+Missionary+Map&amp;border=%23ffffff%7C0px%2C1px+solid+%23993333%7C0px%2C1px+solid+%23bb5555%7C0px%2C1px+solid+%23DD7777%7C0px%2C2px+solid+%23EE8888&amp;output=js"></script>

 

Here are a few more question, if you don't mind:

1. How can we select and move multiple placemarks at one time in the Places pane?  For example, from folder to folder?  We don't seem to be able to CTRL or SHIFT click multiple items in the panel, like would be normal in most Windows applications.
2. How can we select and edit the properties of multiple placemarks at the same time?  For example, assign them all the same icon, default view, etcetera, without affect other settings that might differ between placemarks?
3. Thank you for the link on designing icons.  Does the resize option for icons, in the property dialog, work on custom loaded icons also?

Thank you again for your help, you have really been a lifesaver given some of the misguided help subjects.  Thank you for sharing your expertise.